Standpipe system



Nov. 15, 1932.

F. w. FROST STANDPIPE SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Au 2, 1928 6 /2 amaw" Nov, 15, 1932. F. w. FROST STANDPIPE SYSTEM I Filed Aug. 2, 1928' 2 Sheets-Sheet A TTORNEY 7 INVENTOR BY AM -Zwr Patented Nov. 15, 1932 FREDERICK w. FROST, or AMITYVILLE, NEW YORK I STANDPIPE SYSTEM Application filed August 2, 192a. seriaino. 296,893.

My invention relates to fire-extinguishing standpipe systems of the general character shown in Patents Nos. 816,152 and 1,253,005, granted to William F. Conran March 27 1906 and January 8, 1918, respectively;

an improved form of apparatus of the characterreferred to, in which individual standpipes are provided for each nozzle,'such apparatus providing advantages in ease of manipulation and in simplicity of installation and being moreover particularly suitable for use in installations where relatively few nozzles are required, at moderate heights. The invention further comprises a novel form of nozzle control andgage by means of which the standpipe operator may always have before him a visual indication of the angle of elevation or depression of the nozzle being operated. Other and more detailed features of the invention, and advantages to be derived from its use, will appear'from the ensuing description of a preferred form thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, 25 in which: i t

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation, partly in section, of the assembled apparatus;

I Fig. 1 is an enlarged detail of a valve I employed; Fig.2 is a plan view of a part shown in Fig. 1; I r

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of a part of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation, parts being broken away, of the gage employed; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation. on an enlarged scale of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4. 7

Referring now to Fig. 1, apparatus embodying the invention is shown applied to a building the floors of which are indicated at 1, 2,3, 4, and 5, although it is to be under-.

stood that the invention is equally well ap plicable to the protection of. other forms of structure. 3

Water or other extinguishing fluid under pressure is supplied to a main header 6, either from an outside source through Siamese connection 7 andpipe 8 or from a pressure supply within the building through pipe 9.

I "Header 6 is preferably. located adjacent to. I

r the ground level floor 1 and is provided with the same number of outlets as there are nozzles 1n the system, three being indicated in the I drawings although the number may obviously 5 More specifically, the invention comprises bealtered. The drawings illustrate one con-' venient form of header construction comprising a length of relatively large-diameter pipe 10, capped at the ends as at 11 and .12 by r standard fittings into which are screwed the ends of the supply pipes 8 and 9. Pipe 10- I I is drilled to receive the annular saddles 13, each of-which comprises a-fiange portion 14 and a-de ending cylindrical section 15 having a threa ed counterbore' 16. A gland 17, W screwed into the counterbore, forms with the section 15 astufling-box for the'low er end of the rotatable stand: pipe 18, which passes throughthe saddle 13 to'communicate with the interior of header 6. 0

Saddles 13 are preferably welded to the pipe I II 10 to secure a pressure-tight joint and the standpipes each have secured to them, also preferably by welding, an annular supporting member 19 having a flange'2'0 grooved on its lower face to form the upper half of a ball race, the lower half of which is formed by a corresponding groove in the saddle flange 14. I, I v I A plurality of balls 21' located in the race 5U thus formed, provide .an easily rotatable suport for the standpipe. The supporting memliers 19 are provided with a number of arcu ate slots 22, through which a tool engaging holes 23 in the glands 17 maybe inserted for tightening the latter. 7 I

Each of the standpipes is controlled through the medium of a gate or quick-acting valve 24 and is provided with a recessedcollar 25 adapted to be engaged by a spanner 26 for rotating the standpipe, These control or operating valves 24 }may. be grouped within an enclosure 27 providing protection for the operator. I f The upper ends of the standpipes are closed as by the nozzle fittings 28, each of whichis formed with a neck 29, to which is pivotally mounted a nozzle 30, and a depending arm 31 carrying cylinder 32; Cylinders 32 each have mounted therein a piston 33, the rod iou PA EN OFFICE;

34 of which extends through cap 35 and is through the interior of the standpipes to pipes of various heights. pllshedas follows: q with regard to thepressure available, and

a point adjacent to the valves 24, where for a short distance they are carried outside thestandpipes, the inlet ends being within the standpipes. The exterior section of each pipe 39 is fitted with a three-way valve 40, such as-shownin Fig. 1, by means of. which the cylinder 32 can be connected either with the interior of thestandpipe or vent pipe 41.

Pressure gages 42 are fitted in pipes 39 just above valves 40, these being calibrated togive to the operator a visual indication of the angle to which the nozzle associated therewith has been elevated. Each gage comprises a casing 43 in which is mounted the usual Bourdon tube 44, the'outer free end of which ,isconnected by link 45 to one arm of the pivoted toothed quadrant 46. The teeth .of quadrant'46 engage pinion 47 the latter serving to rotate the indicator48 in response to movement of the Bourdon tube 44. The link 45 is connected to the quadrant arm by means of the adjustable pivot pin 49, which can be set at different points in the slot 50, to vary the effective lever armoperating the quadrant. Tl1e length of link 45 is made adjustable by means of the turn-buckle 51, the latter being locked in place by the usual nuts 52. The scale of thegage comprises a plurality of indices 53 aicuately arranged to be swept by the indicator48 and representing angularfdeviation from a horizontal plane.

-Each gageis mount-ed with its Bourdon tube is communication with the interior of variations in thepressure existing in the pipe to which it is attached.

By means of. the dual adjustment of link 45, I am enabled to provide at the control point of.each standpipe a visual indication of the angle of depression or elevation of the standpipe nozzle, and'ma-y' moreover use a standard gage for this purpose on stand- This is accom- Tlie spring 37 is chosen with this variable resistance known, the pressure increase in pipe39necessary to elevate the nozzlea given number ofdegrees be comes a known factor. Knowing this factor, the movement of indicator 48 is calibrated by adjusting the position of pivot pin 49 to provide an effective lever arm on quadrant 46 which will cause, in response to a given increase in pressure in pipe 39, a movement of indicator 48 representing the degree of elevation of the nozzle caused by the pressure increase.

In all cases where the nozzle is located above the gage, a certain constant factor must be compensated for, due to the static head of fluid in pipe 39 between the level of the gage and the operating cylinder. The magnitude of this factor will of course vary with variations in the height between gage andnozzle. Another constant factor (which will in most instances be very small) is the weight of the nozzle. Both of these constant factors are compensated for .by adjusting the turnbuckle 51 to vary the length of link 45 so that a pressure sufficient to overcome these factors must be applied to the gage before the indicator is moved to a point opposite the index representing the position of rest or maximum depression of the nozzle. While in theforegoing description I have used the terms elevation and depression, it is to be understood that these terms are used in a purely relative sense, and that the apparatus being accomplished by manipulation of the V three-way valve 40.

While I have described a preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that the form shown herein is illustrative only, and that the invention contemplates all forms of apparatus that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A standpipe system comprising a fluid supply header, a plurality of standpipes rotatably supported by said header, said standpipes being of different heights, a single discharge nozzle pivotally mounted at the upper end of each of said standpipes, fluid pressure operated means associated'with each standpipe for moving the nozzles, a control valve in each standpipe, means associated with each standpipe and located adjacent to the control valve for controlling said first-named means, and means located adjacent to each of said control valvesfor indicating the ver? tical angles of the several nozzles.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a standpipe having a vertically pivoted nozzle, means operated by standpipe pressure for moving said nozzle about its pivot, means for controlling said first-named means, and means responsive to pressure in said firstnained means for visually indicating the angular position of the nozzle.

head due to the diflerence in elevation be tween the gage and the nozzle moving means.

4. In apparatus of the class described, a standpipe having a vertically pivoted nozzle, fluid pressure operated means connected to the standpipe for moving the nozzle in one direction about its pivot, resilient means opposing said first-named means for moving said nozzle in the opposite direction about its pivot, a valve located at an elevation other than that of the nozzle for controlling said first-named means, and a gage responsive to pressure in said first-named means and located adjacent to said valve, said gage comprising means'for visually indicating the angular position of the nozzle means to compensate for the static head due to the difference in elevation between the gage and the nozzle moving means, and means to compensate for variations in the strength of said resilient means.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a standpipe gage comprising an indicator movable in response :to variations in fluid pressure, and a fixed dial bearing a plurality of index lines arranged to be swept by said indicator, each of said lines lying at a differ ent vertical angle when the gage is in position.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a standpipe gage comprising an indicator movable in response to variations in fluid pressure, a fixed dial bearing a plurality of index lines arranged to be swept by said indicator, each of said lines lying at a diflerent vertical angle when the gage is in position, and means for varying the range of movement of said indicator in response to a given variation in a the fluid pressure applied thereto.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a standpipe gage comprising an indicator movable in response to variations in fluid pressure, a fixed dial bearing a plurality of index lines arranged to be swept by said indicator, each of said lines lying at a different vertical angle when the gage is in position, and means for adjusting the position of the range of movement of said indicator.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a standpipe gage comprising an indicator movable in response to variations in fluid pressure, a fixed dial bearing a plurality of index lines arranged to be swept by said indicator, each of said lines lying at a different vertical angle when the gage is in position,

means for varying the range of movement of said indicator in response to a given variation in the fluid pressure applied thereto,

and means for adjusting the position of'the range of movement of said indicator.

9. In apparatus of the class described, a standpipe having a pivoted nozzle, fluidpressure operated means for moving said nozzle about its pivot, means for controlling said first-named means, and means responsive to'pressure in said first-named means for visually indicating the angular position of the nozzle.

10. In a fire-protection system, the combination of angularly movable discharge nozzles located at different levels, means for controlling the angularity of the respective nozzles from a central station, and means associated with said controlling means for indicating the angularity of the nozzles. V FREDERICK W. FROST. 

